Ship-lantern



(No Model.)

N. TUFTS.

SHIP LANTERN. I N0.276,733.: Patented May1,1883

'1, .III A WITNEEEEE lNVENT-EIR' 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

-NATHA NIEL TUFTS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHIP-LANTERN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,733, dated May 1, 1883. Application filed December 8, 188:2. (No model.)

[ ject to provide an effective means for fastening the doors, by which the lantern may be always kept tightly closed to prevent the ingress of the wind or water. When the lantern-doors are constructed in the usual manner, being hinged at one side to the body of the lantern and proi'ided with a fastening at their other side, they are apt to become warped or bent after a time, so that they do not tightly close the opening of the lantern.

My'invention consists in the combination, with the doorhinged at one side upon the lantern-body, of a fastening-flap hinged to the lantern-body and adapted to shut over the said door when closed, it being fastened upon the said door by any suitable fastening device.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a ship-lantern embodyingthisinvention,thedoorbeingshown as open; Fig. 2, a horizontal section thereof, showing the door as closed and fastened, and

Fig. 3 a detail showing in elevation a door closed and fastened. The main portion or body a of the lantern may be of any suitable or usual construction, it being, as shown, substantially such as employed for signal lights on ships. The doorJ), shown as composed of tin or sheet metal, having a stifl'ening-wire, 0, around its edge, is provided with hinges d, by which it is connected at one side with the body a of the lantern.

In the lantern heretofore commonly in use the doors have been fastened directly to the side of the lanterm against which they shut,

the said side being provided with a groove, 2, to receive the projecting stiffened edge of the door. The door is thus positively held against the side of the body of the lantern only for a portion of the length of its edge, and thus, it the door becomes sprung or bent, as often happens, large cracks or openings will be left around its edges, admitting the wind and rain, thus causing the light to go out. This is obviated by the door-fastening flap e, hinged to the body of the lantern, as shown at f, at the side of the position occupied by the edge of door I) when shut, the said flap being adapted to overlap the adjacent portion of the shut door, thus holdingit closed tightly upon the side of the lantern-body. The said flap may be fastened upon the door itself by any suitable fastening device, such as the sliding bolt or pin h passing throughlhe loops or ears ion the door and the loop or ear in on the flap, as shown in Fig. 3, thus securely locking the door and tightly closing the opening covered by it in the side of the lantern. Both the door and'flap are so stitfened along the line that is hinged upon the lantern-bod y as to efl'ectuall y prevent any springingot' the door, and the flap thus stiffened will straighten the unhinged edge of the door if bent, positively pressing it closely against the lantern-body.

I claim-- The combination, with the lantern-body, ot' a the door hinged thereto at one side, and the door-fastening flap, hinged to the lantern-bod y and adapted to overlie the nnhinged edge of the door when closed, whereby the door is positively pressed against the side of the lanf tern body and the latter is tightly closed against admissionfof air, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presenceot' two subscribing witnesses.

NATHAN [EL TUFTS. 

